Alkane-oxidizing enrichment culture metaviromes and metagenomes

The microbially-mediated degradation of alkanes on the ocean floor is a well-studied metabolic lifestyle, often involving syntrophic internations between alkane-oxidizing archaea and sulfate-reducing bacteria. However, the viral component of alkane-rich ecosystems and their associated microbial communities has historically been overlooked. We analyzed the viral community in long-term sediment-free enrichments of alkane-degrading organisms.